A Navy Blue Angels pilot died Thursday afternoon after his F/A-18 crashed during a practice air show in Smyrna, Tenn. The pilot was taking off to begin practice when the crash occurred, the Navy said. The other five jets were not involved, and all landed safely. The Navy did not release the name of the pilot Thursday evening, citing next-of-kin notification guidelines. The mishap occurred at 3 p.m. local time, roughly an hour after a Thunderbirds jet crashed in Colorado, within two miles of the air field. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus posted on Facebook that the Navy’s “deepest sympathy” is with the family and friends of the Blue Angels. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson promised the Navy will investigate the accident and prevent anything similar from happening again. And in light of the crash, the Navy said, the Blue Angels will not perform in this weekend’s airshow.
Commercial and Military Space Must Advance Together
July 31, 2025
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.orgIn the race to out-innovate adversaries, the U.S. Space Force has one...